HomeMy Public PortalAbout20140205 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD)
February 5, 2014
Board Meeting 14-05
*Approved by the Board of Directors on February 12, 2014
SPECIAL MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Administrative Office
330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, CA 94022
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
APPROVED MINUTES*
CLOSED SESSION
I. CALL TO ORDER
President Harris called the Special Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Board of Directors to order at 6:10 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Cecily Harris, Yoriko Kishimoto, Curt Riffle, and Pete Siemens
Members Absent: Nonette Hanko and Larry Hassett
Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors
III. CLOSED SESSION: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION –
Government Code Section 54957(b)(1)
Title of Employee: General Manager
IV. ADJOURNMENT
President Harris adjourned the Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula
Regional Open Space District at 6:00 p.m.
SPECIAL MEETING
I. CALL TO ORDER
President Harris called the Special meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Board of Directors to order at 6:05 p.m.
President Harris noted that there were no actions to report out of closed session.
Meeting 14-05 Page 2
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Cecily Harris, Yoriko Kishimoto, Curt Riffle, and Pete Siemens
Members Absent: Nonette Hanko and Larry Hassett
Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, Assistant General Manager Ana Ruiz,
Assistant General Manager Kevin Woodhouse, General Counsel Sheryl
Schaffner, Real Property Specialist Elaina Cuzick, and District Clerk
Jennifer Woodworth
III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
No speakers present.
IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Motion: Director Cyr moved, and Director Siemens seconded the motion to adopt the agenda as
amended.
VOTE: 5-0-0 (Directors Hanko and Hassett absent)
V. BOARD BUSINESS
Agenda Item #1 Presentation of Strategy Research Institute’s Second Public Opinion
Tracking Poll and Authorization to Prepare Ballot Documents to Place a Bond Measure on
the June 3, 2014 Ballot (R-14-29)
General Manager Steve Abbors provided comments on the history of the District’s mission and a
brief summary of the Strategic Plan. Mr. Abbors commented that through the District’s Vision
Plan process has shown members of the public have grown more interested in public access to
the District’s preserves rather than the District’s historic mission of preservation through land
acquisition.
Director Hanko arrived at 6:08 p.m.
Walter Moore, President of the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), provided comments related
to the history of POST and the District working together and pledged POST’s support for the
potential funding measure.
Marc Landgraff, Director of External Affairs for POST, introduced Dr. Gary Manross of the
Strategy Research Institute.
The Board received an informational presentation from Dr. Manross summarizing the polls his
organization conducted on behalf of and POST related to the feasibility of placing a potential
funding measure on the June 3, 2014 ballot. He described the methods used to determine the
likelihood of potential support of voters for a funding measure, including the impact of potential
arguments for and against a measure, the various pros and cons of a June or November election,
Meeting 14-05 Page 3
and the ability of a potential funding measure to be in line with the core values of potential
voters.
The Board members asked various questions related to factors that could affect voter turnout.
Discussion ensued.
Mr. Abbors suggested the following change to the ballot question: “To improve access to hiking,
and biking, and equestrian opportunities, protect and preserve redwood forests, natural open
spaces, the scenic beauty of our region and coastline, critical wildlife habitat, restore creeks to
protect water quality, and reduce forest fire risk of forest fires; shall Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District be authorized to issue up to $300 million in bonds, at a tax rate not to
exceed $3.18 per $100,000 of assessed value of property owned, with expenditures verified by
independent citizen oversight committee?”
Public hearing opened at 7:23 p.m.
No speakers were present.
Public hearing closed at 7:23 p.m.
Motion: Director Hanko moved, and Director Siemens seconded the motion to authorize
General Manager to direct District staff to prepare ballot documents for placing a bond measure
on the June 3, 2014 ballot with the addition suggested by General Manager Abbors.
VOTE: 6-0-0 (Director Hassett absent)
Agenda Item #2 – Review Draft Ordinance for Placement of a Bond Measure on the June
3, 2014 Ballot (R-14-30)
Real Property Specialist and Capital Finance Program Lead Elaina Cuzick provided the staff
presentation. Ms. Cuzick provided an overview of the ballot documents, the timeline for
approval of documents before submittal to the county Registrars, a description of the components
contained in the ordinance, and an explanation of the Expenditure Plan and Tax Rate statement.
Director Riffle requested clarification related to the estimated costs for individual projects.
General Counsel Sheryl Schaffner explained that there is clarifying language included in the
expenditure explaining that the estimates are in 2014 dollars and that they are estimates only, and
the actual costs may change in implementation.
Public hearing opened at 7:47 p.m.
Tom Lockard spoke in support of the type funding being sought in the funding measure stating
that it is an extremely low cost type of funding.
Alex Anderson a member of Silicon Valley Mountain Bikers and the Community Advisory
Committee voiced his support for the funding measure and asked about the limits on the use of
the general obligation bond funds.
Meeting 14-05 Page 4
Mr. Abbors explained that any funds received from a successful funding measure must be used
for the projects listed in the Expenditure Plan. The District’s funds that are separate from the
general obligation bonds will be used to complete additional Vision Plan projects not included in
the expenditure plan.
Public hearing closed at 7:52 p.m.
Director Kishimoto expressed her support of the funding measure being placed on the June 3,
2014 ballot.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
President Harris adjourned the Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula
Regional Open Space District at 7:58 p.m.
________________________________
Jennifer Woodworth, CMC
District Clerk